By Dr Martina Geromin, Co-Founder of School Beyond Limitations, an international online independent school based in London.
As online schooling continues to ride the wave of popularity, especially in the wake of global events that have transformed the traditional educational landscape as we know it, various myths and misconceptions about the effectiveness and structure of online schools have emerged. These myths can often cloud perceptions, causing scepticism amongst students, parents, and educators alike. From the belief that online education is inherently easier than attending a traditional bricks and mortar school, to the assumption that it lacks personal and social interaction – these misunderstandings hinder the growth and acceptance of virtual learning environments as a powerful addition in our evolving world.
Let’s debunk ten common myths about online schooling to provide clarity and insight into the realities of this disruptive approach to education.
Myth 1: Children who attend an online school spend all day on a screens
This is probably one of the most common misconceptions of online schooling and one that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Students typically spend three hours per day having direct contact time with their class and teacher on-screen. Apart from some optional afternoon sessions, which are no more than an hour, the remainder of the day is spent focusing on personal interests and independently learning offline. The point of online schooling is to provide a balance between the digital and real world. As such, students have structure to their days and clear guidelines around the usage of devices. Many students will be working on projects and depending on the nature of these, they could be outside filming a podcast, designing a new product for a STEM showcase, engaging in outdoor activities for physical education or attending clubs.
Myth 2: Your child will be isolated and disconnected from other children
Many parents worry about the impact attending an online school will have on their child’s social life. The reality is students are most certainly not alone. In the case of our school, they will be part of a tight-knit group of no more than eight children who meet together daily with their teacher, and they will naturally build rapport in that environment. All good online schools will actively encourage their students to collaborate and socialise outside of school and will provide ample opportunities for meetups, whether that is through a well-structured buddy programme or through weekly one to one mentoring support.
Myth 3: Even if your child makes friends online, they aren’t likely to see them in person
Another common misperception. Students at online schools will often socialise in person where location allows, or virtually on FaceTime or video call (just as they would do in a traditional school setting) if they live further away from each other. For example, we have a group of senior students who meet virtually once a week to cook and eat together. The positive of these social interactions is that they also interact with children from all over the world, expanding their skills as global citizens and their knowledge of different cultures. If anything, the onus is on online schools even more so, to ensure that students are building friendships and are happy. The point of an online school is to provide greater balance between school and hobbies or passions. We often find that children with similar interests will naturally gravitate towards each other, whether that is through attending a music or sports club together or even teaming up through class projects and group challenges.
Myth 4: As a parent you will be expected to give up lots of time to support your child’s learning
Most parents would say that they support their child’s learning and development at home whether they attend a bricks and mortar school or not. But the emphasis on this support is no different to your child being in a traditional school (aside from the fact that if your child is primary age, you’ll need to physically be around during the school day from a safety perspective). Other than that, there is structure to the day and all teaching and learning is done through the school and with the support of the class teachers and mentors. Online schools also focus heavily on building independent, resilient and self-reliant students who are accountable for completing their studies from a young age. This provides a robust foundation for their future lives.
Parent involvement on occasion is good practice from the perspective of gaining feedback on the child’s school day, demonstrating encouragement and delivering praise where deserved, but attending an online school is very different to home schooling your own child – where the expectation on parents is vastly different. As a parent of an online school student, you will be expected to ensure they have access to the right technology to dial into their lessons and to establish daily routines of learning beyond the three-hour sessions. You will also need to ensure your child has an appropriate space set up to learn in (which will vary according to age), but once that is all in place, your child will begin to embark on a daily routine that will keep them busy and engaged.
Myth 5: Your child won’t go on school trips
This is definitely a myth. All good online schools will build in regular in-person educational adventures to ensure students develop both academically and emotionally. At our school for example, we run at least three week-long residential school trips per year. We visit different European overseas destinations where our students can engage in various workshops, excursions and social entertainment. We use the experience as an opportunity to develop our students further and we find that these in-person events are invaluable in solidifying strong, lasting friendships.
As well as residentials, there are a whole host of other activities on offer, such as trips to the theatre for children interested in the performing arts, sports tournaments and events which get children outside and off-screen. We have also recently opened a boarding house in Italy, which our students are encouraged to visit should they want to reconnect with peers or take some time to study in a new, inspiring environment.
Myth 6: Online schools don’t offer sports or opportunities for outdoor learning
This is simply not true. Outdoor learning is hugely beneficial for students from a mental health and wellbeing perspective, and it is something that we actively encourage and insist on via our timetabled physical activities. All good educators recognise the impact of physical activity on the mind and body, so it is vital that online students buy into this ethos too. Most of our students have joined sports clubs or have signed up to activities that get them into the great outdoors and off of their screens.
Some students also look to online schooling to balance their personal goals, for instance, some students are elite athletes, actors on the West End or they travel the world with their parents. This means they are regularly outdoors learning new things – and having the flexibility to manage their own time is invaluable in these cases.
Myth 7: Your child won’t develop any soft skills or life skills for the future workplace
Attending an online school is often an ideal setting to develop those all-important soft skills for the future. Our daily lessons are consistently asking students to present material they have worked on to other students and to present either individually or in groups to teachers. Presentation skills are something that just happens every day as a matter of course and students are supported and nurtured to shape these skills. Likewise, aspects such as financial education – learning to manage money, debt and investments are par for the course. Entrepreneurial education is also embedded into the school day – not as a nice to have bolt-on to lessons, but as a core part of the learning process.
We also encourage our students to set up their own businesses and have even invested in successful business concepts, to develop their self-discipline and time management skills, and to work regularly on strategy, goal setting and objectives. In essence, online students are often great communicators because they have to be. They are developing these skills all of the time because the very nature of the way they learn requires a great deal of commitment, focus and dedication. From student Dragon’s Den events to innovative business workshops and product design initiatives, students are acutely aware of the skills they need to thrive in the modern world.
Myth 8: There is no structure to the school day
Again, this is a common myth. There is an underlying assumption that because your child doesn’t get up and put on a school uniform every day and then flit from class to class for lessons, that they aren’t following any kind of structure – which is nonsense. Children thrive on routine, or at least on having clarity about what is required from them. No school can succeed without structure of some kind. Online schools most certainly have a structure to each day. They are all different of course, but they will all follow some kind of routine or practice. For schools like ours there is a set amount of time spent each day in an online classroom setting, with teacher and peers and then further ring-fenced time each day allocated for independent learning – during this time students will work on individual projects, complete assigned tasks, attend clubs or optional afternoon sessions. The point is students have clarity each day on what their focus will be.
Myth 9: You can’t do iGCSEs or A Levels if you go to an online school
You absolutely can follow traditional pathways and take iGCSEs and A levels across a range of subjects while attending an online school. Most reputable online schools are accredited by awarding bodies like Pearson and Cambridge and will be able to provide clear support around this as well as offer students support on higher education like colleges and applications for university. What is probably more special about online schools like ours, is that they are not bound by the traditional curriculum so students can follow any pathway they choose, without limitation. That means they could take another qualification route entirely or choose not to take exams at all and set up their own business instead. Perhaps they might look into more vocational learning, or they might want to travel overseas to volunteer or gain work experience through an apprenticeship or work shadowing. The point is, there are a myriad of options open to young people today and sometimes the rigidity of traditional education can stifle those aspirations by forcing children down a conventional route that might not be for them. Every child should have the opportunity to follow their passions whatever that might look like.
Myth 10: It could look bad on your child’s future CV if they went to an online school
Definitely not the case. The world of education is changing, and the future is likely to see an increase in the number of children attending online schools for many reasons – including the rising accessibility of technology and the numbers of children who are being let down by the system and are struggling to learn in a traditional school setting. In time, online education will become more normalised because of the flexibility it offers children as well as a personalised learning experience tailored to individual needs which accommodates various learning paces and styles. In short, attending an online school will not be considered a negative factor in a child’s future. If anything, having been an online student will demonstrate the high level of resilience and self-reliance that individual has achieved during their school years.
About the expert
Dr Martina Geromin, is co-founder of School Beyond Limitations, (www.school-beyond-limitations.com) an international online school based in London, which seeks to disrupt the boundaries of traditional education. Dr Geromin is also a multi-time published academic author with 35 years in education and research. She has worked internationally as a teacher, university lecturer, trainer, adult educator and executive within global educational institutions.
Her passion is focused on helping children to uncover and embrace their uniqueness, learning how to bring it to life in a meaningful way. She sees education and personal development as transformative and as a driver for real change. Holding a Doctor of Philosophy, a Doctor of Business Administration in Higher Education Management and a Master’s Degree in Giftedness, Dr Geromin has also authored numerous articles and books over the last 35 years including Tacit Knowledge Sharing at Higher Education Institutions (which is a widely used reference source for academics in the field of knowledge transfer).
